Automatic ship s berth



(No Model.) s sheetssheet 1. W. T. MILLIGAN. AUTOMATIC SHIPS BERTH. No. 277,321. Patented May 8,1883.

(No Model.) l 3 Sheets--Sheet 2. W. T. MILLIGAN. AUTOMATIC SHIPS BERTH.

No. 277,321. Patented May 8,1883.

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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

W. T. MILLIGAN.

AUTOMATIC sHIPs BERTH.

No. 277,321. Patented May 8,1883.

NVENTDR MTNEEEEE l WiL/LM n Pains. mmap-anhu. Wnhhxm D- C- f UNITED STATES VILLIAM T. MILLIGAN, OF BOSTON, BRUNSWICK SHIPS BERTH vPATENT OFFICE.

MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOB TO THE COMPANY, OF CONNECTICUT.

AUTOMATIC SHIPS BERTH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 277,321, dated May 8, 1883.

Application filed October 23, 1882. (No model.)

To all 'whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLLAM T. MILLIGAN, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and uset'ullmprovementin AutomaticShip-Berths,

of' which the following is a specification.

So far as I know, no self-levelin g berth, so called, has heretofore been built which must not behung,say,from two to three and one-half ro inches from the side of the state-room next which it lies, in order that it may not strike the wall as the ship rolls. This has been a great objection to such berths, for this space must be taken oft' the size of the state-room, and in f5 the state-rooms of an ocean steamer, for exaur,

ple, such a waste ot' room is a serious matter.

The purpose ot' the main portion of my invention is to enable the berth to be hung nearer the side wall of the state-room than has hitherto been possible; and it consists in a berth the longitudinal axis ot' which is adapted to move laterally (with respect to the Walls ot' the state-room) as the berth swings, in an opposite direction to that in which the berth swings.

My invention also consists in the combination of a swinging berth with a governor adapted to receive its motion from the rolling of the ship, and so control the berths movements that it will swing from side to side in 3o substantial unison with the regular roll of the ship, and will not be materially affected by any sudden and irregular shock given the ship by a heavy sea, nor by any movement of the occupant of the berth.

It also consists in a berth adapted to swing upon a transverse axis, and provided with two sets ot' springs, placed one set on each side of said axis, and ot' such construction and arrangement that any weight tending to con- .4o tract one set of springs will tend also to contract the other set.

It also consists in a berth hung by liexible supports over suitable lateral pivots, and provided with suitable mechanism for adjusting the head and foot of the berth to the weight of the occupant, so that when occupied and at rest it may hang substantially level, or at any angle desired, irrespective of the comparative weight of the cccupants body and legs.

It 'also consists in certain details of construction, all fully described below.

In the drawings, Figure l is a cross-section of a berth embodying my invention, showing the governing mechanism for use at the head of the berth, theweight G2 being omitted,Fig. 2 being a section on linexx, Figl. Fig. 3 is a cross-section showingthe locking mechanism at the foot of the berth, the weight G2 being omitted, and Fig. 4 is a section on lineg/y ot' Fig. 3. Fig. 5is a longitudinal verticalsection through the middle of the berth, the views of the ends ot' the berth corresponding with the views in Figs. 2 and It, respectively, except that a portion ot' the governing and locking mechanism is omitted, as is also a portion ot' the frame H, so that the position of the lateral mechanism may be seen. The other figures will be referred to below.

It is obvious that the main feature of my invention may be accomplished in a variety of Ways by Vmeans of suitable cams or springs, e.; but the mode which now seems to methe best for carrying it out is that shown in the drawings.

A A are two circular metallic heads of a di ameter of, say, twenty-six inches-two inches or so larger than the width of the berth. Each head is provided with a pair of sockets, B B, into which tit the ends of the beams B B'. These beams are for the purpose ot' supporting the berth, and the sockets B B. should be so arranged as to bring the center of gravity of the berth, when occupied, as low as possible. Each head is also provided with a rim, a, projecting from its back, say, one-half an inch, and of sufficient thickness to support the Weight of the berth and its occupant. This rim rests upon a series of disks, aaz a3 c, which in turn rest upon the, elliptical track C, secured to the bulk-head. The shortest diameter of this elliptical track is best about two and one-half inches less than its longest diameter, and its longest diameter about two and one-halt' inches less than the diameter of the head. About fifty degrees of the lower portion of this track are unnecessary, and may be dispensed with. The disks are seven in number, the largest one, a', being best made of sufcientdiameter to hold the head, so that normally its horizontal diameter shall be in the same horizontal plane with thelongest diameterof the elliptical track C; The other disks are made in pairs of different diameters, so as to divide as equally as possibletheweight upon tl1etrack,asshown. These disks are best made without axles, and unconnected in any way. This portion of myinvention operates as follows: As the ship rolls the berth swings or rotates (with respect to the walls of the state-room) upon the disks a', a2, a3, and a4, and the center of each head will move laterally in a straight line directly opposite to the direction in which the berth swings a distance depending upon the proportionate length ofthe diameters ofthe ellipse, and consequently the size ofthe friction-rollers. By properly proportioning the parts a berth which, if swinging upon a fixed axis, would swing, say, two and one-halt' inches on each side of a perpendicular dropped through its center when at rest, will swing only one and one quarter inch each side of the said line, the lateral movement of the axis serving to compensate for the remaining one and one-quarter inch. Consequently such a berth need only be hung, say, one and one-halt'in'ch from the state-room wall, instead of two and three-quarter inches. This will be understood from Fig. l0, in which, however, the berth is represented as remaining horizontal, and the state-room wall L and the elliptical track C are out of perpendicular in consequence. The lower half of the circumference of each piece A A is provided with ratchet-teeth, half pointing one way and half the other, as shown.

It is very desirable that the berth shall not swing with every. little motion of the ship, but shall only conform with its regular roll. To insure such steadiness I use a governor which shall be operated by the rolling of the ship, and shall restrict the motion of the berth a sufficient degree to keep it from swinging with every blow given the ship by the waves.

The best form ot' governor now known to me is shown in Fig. l. It consists ot' a metallic semicircle, D, ofthe same diameter as the head A, upon the circular edge of which are teeth equal in number to the number of teeth upon the lower half` ofthe head A. The head A and piece D are connected by means of two pawllevers, c'l, which are held against both the piece D and the head A by means of spring cl, and arranged in such a way that one pawl will engage with the ratchet A while the other pawl is disengaged. The piece D is pivoted to the bulk-head of the state-room at -D, and connected with it and swung upon the same pivots is a weight, D2, of sufficient heaviness to counterbalance it and give it a positive motion whenever the ship rolls. The teeth upon the piece D are equiangular, and the lower end of each pawl is provided with a friction-roller, and consequently whenever the ship rolls the weight D2 moves the piece D, and the roller upon each pawl-lever l in turn rides up upon and over one of the teeth on the piece D and disen gages its other end from a tooth upon the head A; but as soon as each roller has passed over one tooth one of the springs d will drag its pawl-lever tinto the hollow between that tooth and the next one, and willcause the other end ot the lever to engage with the next tooth in the head A. It will be seen that the berth can move only the distance corresponding to one tooth ata time; and, moreoverbthe distance which the weight travels must equal a certain amount before it will allow the berth to move at all. Consequently the berth will not swing with every shock which the ship receives, but only, under ordinary circumstances, with its regular roll. This form of escapement seems to me the best and simplest for my purpose, though others may be used to transmit motion from the governor to the berth.

The foot of the berth is provided with a locking device to enable the occupant of the berth to lock it whenever he desires to prevent its rotation. This device consists of a pair ot' pawl-levers, E, controlled by springs e, and connected by means of a series of rods and levers, e', with a handle, c2, within reach of the occupant of the berth, so that by moving the handle the bert-h may be locked or unlocked, as the case may be. The handle should be arranged as shown, so that it will be over the occupants body when the berth is unlocked, and very much in the way, so much so that the occupant cannot help seeing it when he starts to leave his berth; nor can he leave his IOO berth except with much trouble, without pulling the handle out of the way, and so locking the berth. When he wishes to lock'the berth he pulls the handle toward him and latches it by means of the latch e3, as will be understood from Figs. 3, 11, and 12, this motion moving the levers and rods so as to force the pawls against the ratchet-teeth on head A.

The beams B B are for the purpose of supporting the berth proper, and each is provided with a friction-pulley, b, over which passes a wire rope, b', by which the berth is hung.

Each side ot' the berth is provided with va IIO link, b2, pivoted at its lower end to the frame F and at its upper end to the beam B. Its purpose is to prevent the berth from falling in case one of the supporting-ropes should break. The hole by means of which it is pivoted to the beam B should be large enough to pref vent the link from restricting in any way the movements ot' the berth when the rope is intact.

The berth proper is composed ot' a rectangular frame ot' proper size, to which a suitable mattress or support for the'bedding is attached. The mattress shown in the drawings I believe to be of my own invention, and l propose to make an application for Letters Patent of the United States therefor in due time.

To each beam B are attached two helical springs, G G. These sprin gs are coiled in the same direction,but their helices are so attached to the beam that the outeror straight part of the spring G at the head of the berth starts from the upper part of the helix, while the corresponding part of the spring G at the foot of the berth starts from the lowerpart of the helix. The straight portions of these springs may be attached to the frame F in any convenient way. A persons body being heavier than his legs, he will naturally depress the head of a berth, pivoted as shown, more than the foot. Vhen, however, the springs are arranged as shown, as one pair of springs is on each side of the transverse axis of the berth,

. the weight at the head of the berth will not only be counterbalanced by the springsGat the head, but also by the weight ot'his legs and the springs G at the foot ot' the berth. By some such arrangement as this, springs ot' substantially equal tension can be used to support the different weights ofthe upper and lower parts of the human body. The springs, ot' course,

need not bc helical, though I believe that to' be the most convenient form ot spring for my purpose; and it is evident that if they are not helical they need only be so far attached Ato both parts ofthe berth as to be compressed when a surplus of weight is applied to the head ofthe berth. In any case they had best be counterbalanced by olle or more weights, G2, of, say, ten pounds orso, sufticiently heavy to steady the berth when it is not in use.

Y It is desirable that a berth hung by a flexible support and swinging upon a transverse axis should be adjustable, so that it may be made to answer equally well for different persons, f

the weight of whose bodies and legs is in a different proportion. If such aberth has no springs such as the springs G G', the desired end'inay be gained by hanging the berth from pivots, which may be moved in slots in the beams B the desired distance and clamped, so that the relative lengths of the ropes supporting the head and foot ot' the berth (if ropes be used) may be changed at will.

Berths have heretofore been hung by iniexible. straps or rods; but in such cases any unusual strain may'cause the rods to break or bend, and in oase any mode is provided for the adj ustmentofthe berth--bychangingthepoiut of suspension, for example-such adjusting mechanism will become useless. When, however, such springs as are shown in the drawings are used, a convenient mode of adjustment is as follows: The helical end ot' each spring is attached to an arbor, g, which passes through the beam B', and through a ratchet, g', provided with two sets of teeth,one set upon one half of its circumference, the other set upon the other half. The outer end ot' the arbor is squared, so as to be turned by a wrench. The ratchet g is provided with two pawls, g2, one operating upon each set of teeth. This arrangement I deem advisable, so as to pre vent any change in the tension ot the springs owing to any unusual or sudden strain being brought to bear upon them. When it is desired to adjustthe head ofthe berth for a heavy person the springs G would be tightened and the springs G loosened, so as to cause the head ot' the berthto be raised and its foot lowered at the same time. Its head will then sustain a greater'weight than before without throwing the berth out of level. This arrangement of springs and iiexible suspension has another advantage, in that when the berth swingsin its transverse axis, it being suspended from the fixed points and its motions being partly controlled by the springs G G', whenever the berth swings on its transverse axis the ropes will be caused to give a little over the points of suspension, so as to shorten the radius of that end of the berth which is ap` proaching the ceiling of the stateroom, and consequently the berth will rotate ou its transverse axis in less space than itotherwise would.

The springs G G and ropes b may be attached to the sides of the berth F in any desired way. I prefer, however, to provide each side F ofthe frame with two plates, ,1013, to each ot' which is attached a roller, b4, which is'of sufficient diameter to bear upon one of the beams B', and serves to steady the berth be.- tween the beams and enable itlto oscillate on its transverse axis without friction. To each plate b, I attach one end of a spring, G G', and of a rope, b. The sides of the berth are provided with a frame or shield, H, which is best made in the form of' a rectangle of substantially the size of and attached to the frame F, so that it will move with it. It should be sufficiently high to cover all the side mechanism, and as it moves with the mattress-frame F, instead ot' being attached to the beam B', it will prevent the occupantot the berth from hindering its free oscillation on its transverse axis, as he might otherwise by his position or his arrangement ot the bed-clothes.

The parts of the berth are best made of metal, either cast-iron or composition, except the beams B B, the inner frame, H, and berthframe F, which'may bermade of wood. The sprin gs G G are best made ot' steel one-fourth of an inch square in cross-section. Such a spring requires but slight tightening to materially increase its tensionso little, in fact, that where the ratchet is, say, two inches in diameter and provided with, say, twelve teeth on aside, the change in the position of the ratchet on each spring one tooth will change the capacity ot' the head of the berth about ten pounds. j

What I claim as my invention isl. An automatic ships berth adapted to rotate around its longitudinal axial line, and pro, vided with mechanism, substantially as above described, whereby alateral curvilinear motion is given to its axis of oscillation, all as and for the purposes set forth.

2. In an automatic ships berth, the combination ot' the heads A A', suitably connected together, and each provided with a rim, a, projecting from its upper edge, adapted to Sup.-

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port its head upon a series of disks resting` and adapted to be rotated upon a suitable elliptical track, G, attached to a stationary support, with said disks and tracks, al1 as and for the purposes set torth.

25. An automatic ships berth adapted to rotate about. its longitudinal axial line, and provided with proper means ot' pivotal support, in combination wit-h devices, substantially as described, whereby the relative motions of the ship and berth are controlled and 'the rate of such relative motions regulated, all substantially as set forth. f

et. In an automatic ships berth, the combination of the head A, provided with suitable ratchet-teeth upon its lower periphery and pivoted to suitable supporting mechanism, and the governor D D2, hung from a suitable support upon an independent axis, and provided with suitableescapement mechanism, substantially as shown, operating, in connection with the governor and the head A, to control the rotations1 of the berth, all as set forth.

5. In an automatic ships berth, the locking` mechanism above described, consisting ot' the head A, suitably supported, and provided with suitable ratchet-teeth upon itslower periphery, and one or more pawls suitably pivoted to a fixed support, connected together and adapted to be operated by means of levers to interlock with said ratchet-teeth,all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. An automatic ships berth hung` from pivots attached to lateral supports and provided with two sets of springs, one set at the head of the berth and the other 'set at the foot of the berth, arranged and attached to the berth and its said lateral supports, substantially as .i eraser 8. An automatic ships berth hung at each side from a lateral support by a rope passing over a pulley attached to one of said lateral supports, upon which 'ropes said berth is adapted to rotate about said pulleys, and provided with springs attached to said lateral supports and said berth, substantially as described, whereby as said berth swings said 4ropes are caused to travel over said pulleys,

andthe position of the transverse axis of said berth is caused to move with respect to the head and foot of the berth, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. ln an automatic ships berth adapted to swing' around a transverse axis, the mechanism above described for adjusting,` the berth around said axis, consisting of the springs G G', attached at their outer ends to the supporting-beams B B', and each provided -with an arbor, g, to which it is attached, and ratchet g and pawls g2, substantially as described.

WM. T. MILLGAN.

Witnesses:

Guo. Q. G. OoALE, J. F. BLIGH. 

